Hay and manure gatherer and loader.



PATENTED JAN. 2, 1906.

J. PETERSON. HAY AND MANURE GATHERER AND LOADER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE13,1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 808,678. PATENTED JAN. 2, 1906. I

J. PETERSON.

HAY AND MANURE GATHERER AND LOADER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13.1904.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

N0- 808,6'78. PATENTBD JAN. 2, 1906.

J. PETERSON.

HAY AND'MANURE GATHERBR AND LOADER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1904.

3 SHBETSSHEET 3- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAY AND MANURE GATHERER AND LOADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1906.

Application filed June 13, 1904. Serial No. 212,317.

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN PETERSON, of St. Paul, Ramsey county,Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hayand'Manure Gatherers and Loaders, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to that class of farm implements shown anddescribed in Letters Patent of the United States issued to me September13, 1898, numbered 610,609; November 12, 1901, numbered 686,532, and acertain pending application filed June 22, 1903, serially numbered162,513.

The object of my invention, primarily, is to provide means for looking aloaded fork or gatherer in a raised position to dispense with thenecessity of holding it in such position while it is being swung fromthe point where it is loaded to the dumping-place.

A further object is to provide an improved fork which can be easily andquickly manipulated to gather and discharge its load.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detaileddescription.

The invention consists generally in various constructions andcombinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a perspective View of a gathering and loading apparatus embodyingmy invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of an improved form of agathering-fork. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same. Fig. 4 is a detailview on the line y y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing themanner of supporting the carrying wheels or truck of the fork. Fig. 6 isa sectional view on the line a: w of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail viewshowing the manner of connecting the horizontal base-timbers to theupright mast. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the mechanism for automaticallylocking the gathering-fork in its raised position. Fig. 9 is asimilarview showingthelockingdevicepartiallyunlocked. Fig. 10 is a verticalsectional View of the locking device, showing the fork in thetrip-lever. Fig. 11 is a sectional view on the line a n of Fig. 8.

1n the drawings, 2 represents a suitable baseplate, whereon an uprightmast 3 is arranged. A horizontal or base timber 4 is secured to theplate 2 at one end by any suitable means, as by clevises 5, and asimilar timber 6 is secured on said base-plate on the other side of themast in a corresponding manner, except that I prefer to provide only oneclevis for the timber 6 to allow it to be swung back and forth towardand from the other timber to allow the apparatus to be moved through adoorway or gate. A cross-timber 7 connects the timbers 4 and 6 and isadjustably secured thereto at its ends. The opposite ends of the timbers4: and 6 from the base-plate are held in place by means of Weightedboxes 8, that rest upon the ends of the timbers and are held in placethereon by bars 9, that are secured to the bottoms of the boxes.

The top of the mast 3 is connected with the outer ends of the timbers 4and 6 by bracebeams 10 and 11, that are attached to a pin 12 in the topof the mast and have their opposite ends inserted into recesses 13 inthe box 8 and bearing upon the contiguous ends of the basetimbers. Aboom 14 is pivoted on the mast 3, near the lower end thereof, and ablock 15 is provided at the top of the boom, and a rope 16, secured atone end of the lower portion of the boom, passes through said block andaround a pulley 17 at the outer end of the boom and from thence to thetop of the boom, where the end of the rope is secured. By means of thisrope the operator can adjust the boom at any desired angle with respectto the mast.

A hoisting-cable 18 passes under a pulley 19 at the base of the boom andover an idle pulley 20 near the base and from thence over pulleys 20 and21 in the outer end of the boom to a block 22, wheretheend of thecableis secured. This block is provided at its lower end with a loop 23,wherein the shank of a hook 2 1 is swiveled. The head of the shankwithin the loop is provided with a lug or projection 25 on one side thatengages the sides of the loop and limits the rotary movement of the hooktherein. This construction is shown clearly in Fig. 11, where it will beseen that the hook may make nearly a complete revolution sufficient toallow the fork to be swung easily to the desired working point, but willprevent any unnecessary rotary movement of the fork that would tend totwist the rope.

Between the pulleys 20 and 21 in the outer end of the boom is asocket orrecess 26. wherein a block 27, triangular in cross-section, is mountedon a pivot-pin that is fixed with respect to the boom. The triangularshape of the block 27 will cause it when struck by the jaws to assume aproper position to pass between them. The shape of this block may bevaried, if preferred. On the upper end of the block 22 jaws 28 and 29are pivoted. These jaws have tapered upper ends and notches 31, that areadapted to receive the triangular block 27 and support the block 22 andits load in araised position. A U-shaped spring 32 is mounted on the jaw29 and incloses the other jaw and is held under tension against the sameby a pin 33. A loop 34 limits the separation of the jaws, and aforkedlever 35, mounted on the jaw 28, has curved surfaces 36, thatengage-pins 37 in the sides of the jaw 29 and tend to press the saidjaws apart when the lever is drawn downward. A suitable ropeguide 38 ispreferably provided on the jaw 29. The outer end of the lever 25 isattached to a cord 39, by means of which the operator can separate thejaws and allow the load to drop. I have found where power is employed tooperate the gathering-fork or loader that a device of this kind is verydesirable. As soon as the fork is loaded it is raised sufficiently forthe locking device to perform its functions and then the power may bereleased from the fork and the boom swung around to the desired dumpingposition. Without this locking device it would be necessary to keep thepower on the fork during the time that it is being swung to the pointwhere the load is discharged.

The fork which I prefer to employ in connection with this apparatus isshown in Figs. 2 and 3; but I may use the locking device in connectionwith the fork designed particularly for handling hay or straw, as shownin my pending application above referred to. In Fig. 2 of the drawings,40 represents the forkhandle having bars 41 secured thereto at one endand projecting beyond the end of the handle and connected by cross-bars42, having suitable truss-rods 43. The fork proper is arranged betweenthe ends of the bars 41 and consists of an endbar 44, whereto a seriesof tines 45 are secured. These tines are curved in substantially themanner shown in Fig. 5 and in my prior patents and are connected bycross-rods 46. A rack-bar 47 is secured to'the bars 44 and 46 at themiddle of the fork, and the teeth of said bar are engaged by a latch 48,carried by the handle 40. The fork is provided with studs 49, whereonthe ends of the bars 41 are pivoted, and a bail 50 is also pivoted onsaid studs, preferably between the fork and the bars 41. I prefer toprovide pivoted stops 51 on the fork that are adapted to swing out intothe path of the bail and hold it in an inclined position, as indicatedin Fig. 3, to prevent it from dropping down upon the ground and digginginto the straw or dirt when the fork is drawn backward. To render thefork more easy of manipulation, I prefer to provide trucks 52, arrangedbetween the outer tines of the series and supported on pins 53, thatpass through straps 54, secured on said tines. I prefer to provide aseries of holes 55 in said strap to allow the adjustment of the truckstherein and vary the height of the tines from the ground, according tothe character of the work. On each side of the fork I prefer to provideguard-plates 56, which serve to prestarting the horses or other powerwill gather up the load. The power being still applied to thehoisting-cable after the fork is loaded it will be raised from theground and by the operation of the locking device secured in its raisedposition. The hoisting-cable can then be slackened and the boom swungaround until the fork is over the dumping-place. The operator will thentrip the lever 35, release the fork, and perform the dumping operation.The operation described may then be repeated It will be noted inconnection with this device that there is no necessity of drivinganchoring or guy rope stakes into the ground, the entire apparatus beingsupported in a working position by means of the bracingbeams and theweighted boxes. The apparatus can therefore be set up much more readilyand can be moved from place to place with very little labor and in ashort space of time.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with the base-plate, of anupright mast supported thereon, a boom for said mast, base-timbersconnected to said base-plate upon each side of said boom,the connectionof one of said timbers allowing it to be swung back and forth toward andfrom the other timber, bracing-beams connecting the outer ends of saidbase-timbers and the top of said boom, and a cross-bar connecting saidbase-timbers intermediate to their. ends, for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with a gathering-fork, of a pulley-block connectedtherewith, jaws pivoted on said block and having notched upper ends, aspring yieldingly holding said jaws together, a hoisting-boom, a blockcarried by said hoisting-boom and arranged to enter the notches in saidjaws and support said pulley-block, means for separating said jaws, anda hoisting-cable.

3. The combination, with a gatheringfork,,

of a pulley-block thereon, jaws pivoted on said block and having notchedupper ends, a

hoisting-boom, means carried by said boom ing ends provided with notchesadapted to receive said support and lock said pulley-block in its raisedposition, means for yieldingly holding said jaws together, and atrip-lever for separating them.

5. The combination, with a hoisting-boom, of a locking-block 27 thereon,a hoistingblock 22 having a cable 18, jaws pivoted on saidhoisting-block and engaging said block 27, a spring 32 normally holdingsaid jaws together, and a trip-lever.

6. The combination, with a hoisting-boom, of a hoisting-block and itscable, a support having a fiXed pivot on said boom, jaws piv.

oted on said hoisting-block and having notched upper ends to engage saidsupport and automatically lock said hoisting-block in its raisedposition, means for yieldingly holding said jaws together, and means forseparating them.

7. The combination, with a suitable handle, of the bars secured thereon,a fork pivoted between said bars and comprising cross-bars 44 and 46, asuitable bail for said fork, and trucks pivoted between the tines ofsaid fork on each side thereof, for the purpose specified.

8. The combination, with the fork-tines, of depending straps securedthereon and provided with a series of holes, trucks provided betweensaid straps, and pins passing through said holes and said trucks andsaid pins being adapted to fit either of the holes in said straps toallow the adjustment of the trucks between them, for the purposespecified.

9. The combination, with the cross-bars 44 and 46 and the tines securedthereto and provided with upwardly-curved inner ends, and theguard-plates 56 secured to the curved ends of the outer tines upon eachside of said fork.

10. The combination, with the bars 41 and the fork pivoted between, of abail 50 also pivoted between said bars, and stops 51 pivoted on saidfork and adapted to be swung out into the path of said bail, for thepurpose speciseries of gathering-tines and a suitable bail, ofcarrying-trucks adjustably secured on said fork and arranged to beraised or lowered to vary the height of said tines from the ground, forthe purpose specified.

12. The combination, with ahoisting-boom, of a pulley-block, ahoisting-cable therefor, a locking device interposed between saidpulleyblockand said boom and comprising a catch or stop that is fixedwith respect to said boom, and spring-pressed arms arranged to beoperated automatically to engage said stop and lock said pulley-blockwhen it has been raised to a certain predetermined point, and mechanismfor tripping said jaws to release said block.

13. The combination, with a fork havinga series of gathering-tines, ofcarrying-trucks mounted on said fork and capable of vertical adjustmentto vary the height of said tines from the ground, substantially asdescribed.

14.. The combination, with a hoisting-boom, of a hoisting block andcable, a support, jaws pivoted on said hoisting block and having notchesor recesses extending partially through their contiguous faces andadapted to engage said support when said block is raised, and means forseparating said jaws to release said block.

15. The combination, with a hoisting-boom, of a jaw-support thereon, ablock having a cable and locking-jaws to engage said support, and atrip-lever mounted on one of said jaws and arranged to actuate the otherjaw to separate them, substantially as described.

11. The combination, with a fork having a In witness whereof I havehereunto set my hand this 9th day of June, 1904.

JOHN PETERSON. In presence of RICHARD PAUL, M. HAGERTY.

